


Passionfruit

by maidenheaven



Category: Naruto
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Coming of Age, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Songfic, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 09:23:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14493882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maidenheaven/pseuds/maidenheaven
Summary: Sasuke and Neji help each other overcome their demons, and fall in love along the way.In which Sasuke and Neji tackle the world together.





	1. Open

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a multi-chapter story that essentially goes through a lot of major events in the Naruto storyline, but from Sasuke and Neji's perspectives. For context, the story begins before the chunin exams, but I’ve aged up the characters to 14 from the beginning because it felt strange to write them as 12 year olds. Also, italics are used for song lyrics and thoughts, and song lyrics are sectioned off by slash marks (//) to make it abundantly clear.

As the couple joint at the hip walked by, eyes and hands all over each other, Neji couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation. How a ninja could willingly subject themselves to something, or someone, that keeps them trapped in this life was beyond his comprehension. Shinobi were supposed to be able to dispose of their lives in a heartbeat, without a second thought. After all, it was their destiny and their duty. Feeling that way for someone would prevent a shinobi from making the best decision for their team and their village in the moment, and cause them to selfishly focus on saving themselves.

At least, that’s what Neji told himself.

Maybe he didn’t really believe it, but in order for him to survive, he had to convince himself that he did.

He didn’t need anyone. Not Hinata, not Hiashi, not Tenten, not Lee, not Gai. He would never allow himself to become attached to this life. He didn’t need family, friends, love. He would never allow himself to become his father. He would never allow himself to have a child, only to leave that child in the cold, harsh hands of the main branch of the Hyuga clan.

He could barely remember the last time he’d loved, or felt loved.

Although he’d dismissed him a mere childish, annoying, deluded kid, Naruto, of all people, had proven to him that he understood Neji. Finding themselves ostracized, Naruto had done what Neji wished he could have; he learned to love anyway. He loved unconditionally and unapologetically, and whenever Neji saw the flares of passion in Naruto’s eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a searing jealousy rise from his chest to fill his throat and set his heart on fire.

But he was above that.

He quickly walked past the doting couple and onto the training grounds. The team had just arrived from a mission the day before, and although they typically went directly back to their strict training routine, Tenten had minor burns to her hands, and Gai ordered them all to rest for at least a day or two. However, after his uncle demanded he stay in the main branch house for a few days to train with Hinata and Hanabi, he knew he’d find himself on the training grounds. It was late, past 9:30, and Neji hadn’t expected to see anyone there. But he could sense a strong presence even before he arrived: a familiar one. As he drew closer, he made out a figure with a high collar, furiously stabbing at a dummy with a kunai, unaware of his presence. He recognized Sasuke Uchiha, but it didn’t seem as though his counterpart did the same. He approached the other in attempt to make himself known, and the Uchiha turned quickly, kunai in place to attack.

“Relax,” Neji said, holding out his hands to reveal that they were empty. Sasuke reverted back to an idle position.

“What are you doing here?” Sasuke asked as he turned back to the dummy.

“The same as you I presume.”

“You came out pretty late,” Sasuke retorted. “Don’t you have better things to do on a Saturday night?”

“And I would ask the same of you.”

“You know, you’re pretty good at deflecting the question,” Sasuke commented.

“So I’ve been told,” Neji said as he turned to face a dummy.

“So are you gonna answer my question or not?” Sasuke asked with a slightly annoyed twinge to his voice.

“I suppose I don’t have anything better to do on a Saturday night, hence why I’m here,” Neji replied curtly.

“And why’s that?”

“Hm, why do you care?” Neji asked sharply. His hand wandered to his weapons pouch as he grasped the blade of a kunai.

“I don’t.”

“You’re awfully inquisitive for someone who claims not to care. But, if you must know, I’ve been stuck in a house with my uncle and cousins all day and this is the first opportunity I’ve had to escape,” Neji explained. The ease at which the sentence came out shocked him; he never usually revealed anything remotely personal to anyone, especially someone he barely knew like Sasuke Uchiha.

“What do you know? You were right,” Sasuke chuckled in amusement.

“Hm?”

“We are here for the same reason. I came to get away from the ‘night of fun’ Sakura and Naruto dragged me into,” Sasuke replied with a slight eye roll. With a small laugh from Neji in response, the two shinobi began to train, each performing their own routine. They trained in silence, neither wanting to disrupt the tranquillity of the quiet night. By the time Sasuke had spoken next, Neji had completely lost track of time.

“We should probably get going. It’s late,” Sasuke said as collected his weapons scattered around the training grounds. Neji gave a small nod of acknowledgment and began to walk away when he heard the terrible sound of a body hitting the floor. He turned around, and saw Sasuke collapsed, clearly having overworked his body. Neji hurried in his direction, and knelt down next to him.

“Are you alright? You pushed yourself too far,” Neji said as he examined Sasuke’s body for injuries.

“I’m fine, just a little tired. You can go, I can walk,” Sasuke attempted to convince Neji, but when he tried to stand, his body failed him and he grimaced.

“No you can’t. Give me your arm, I can help you walk back,” Neji said as he held his arm out for Sasuke.

“Don’t bother, it’s a long walk. Just go Neji,” Sasuke protested.

“Then I’ll take you back to the side branch house. It’s close by and I can give you food and water to get your energy back up,” Neji contended. With a heavy sigh, Sasuke’s argumentative attitude seemed to dissipate, and he didn’t protest when Neji took his arm and wrapped it around his shoulders and led him to the side branch home. As he opened the door, he was relieved to find it empty. The two removed their headbands, and Neji led Sasuke to the couch in the living room, then went into the kitchen to cook Sasuke food to help him recuperate.

“You live here alone?” Sasuke asked, looking around the house.

“Essentially. Technically, this is a side branch family house, but most of them choose to remain in one of the main branch family houses on the Hyuga compound, so I’m usually here alone. Only a few family members ever really stay here, and for short intervals most of the time,” Neji explained while getting the necessary pots and ingredients for noodles.

“Won’t your uncle be expecting you back?”

“Maybe, but I’ll just tell him I got tired and decided to spend the night here,” Neji shrugged.

“...”

“Is something wrong?”

“Just wondering why you’re doing this…” Sasuke mumbled, refusing to meet the other’s eye.

“Doing what? I’m letting you stay at my house and cooking you dinner, I’m not offering you my kidney,” Neji said dismissively, although in his own mind, he wondered the same thing. He would ordinarily never do something like that for anyone; he never let anyone come to the side branch house, even his own teammates.

“I guess you’re right,” Sasuke chuckled lightly. “Sorry for questioning you.”

“It’s fine. I understand why you may feel uneasy with this. But anyway, the noodles are ready,” Neji said as he placed the bowl in front of Sasuke on the coffee table and sat down with his own bowl on the other side of the couch. The two began to eat in silence, Sasuke seemingly engrossed in his food while Neji couldn’t help but watch.

“These noodles were really good,” Sasuke commented as he began to stand to wash his empty bowl.

“Sit, I’ve got it,” Neji said as he grabbed both bowls and quickly rinsed them in the sink.

“You know, you don’t have to do all this. I’m not a child,” Sasuke frowned. Neji raised an eyebrow incredulously.

“And I’m not treating you like a child; I’m treating you like a guest in my home.”

_Sort of_ , Neji thought.

“Anyway, I have some sweets if you’d like,” Neji quickly moved along the conversation.

“Thanks, but I hate sweets,” Sasuke said, almost apologetically.

“Well, I have spicy rice cakes made if you’d prefer that. I’m actually not much of a sweets person myself.”

“Sounds good.”

The two settled into the couch and, once again, ate in silence. That is, until Sasuke noticed something.

“Why do you have your forehead wrapped up?”

Neji instantly felt his body stiffen, but refused to allow his discomfort to show on his face.

“Training accident with the team. There’s a scar on my forehead and I prefer to keep it covered,” Neji regurgitated his typical excuse. But Sasuke Uchiha was not a typical person.

“Are you sure? I noticed you tense up when I asked,” Sasuke responded.

“It’s just not a pleasant memory.”

“I’m sure it isn’t, but not because of a ‘training accident,’”

Neji couldn’t meet the other’s eye. He knew Sasuke knew he wasn’t telling the truth, but he hadn’t even told his teammates or his teacher about his curse seal yet. He sighed, realizing he’d been backed into a corner.

“I have a seal on my forehead.”

“A seal?” Sasuke asked, clearly intrigued.

“The Hyuga family calls it the ‘caged bird seal’ or a curse seal that’s meant to seal away the secret of the byakugan when a side branch family member dies. It’s forcibly placed on all of us by members of the main branch, and although it’s supposed to stop enemies from obtaining access to the byakugan, its main use is to keep the side branches under the thumb of the main branch,” Neji explain bitterly, unable to keep his emotions in check.

“How does it keep… you all under the main branch?” Sasuke asked hesitantly.

“Well the main branch can use the seals to physically cause pain to those side branch members who dare step out of line by deteriorating their brains. Secondly, it’s a permanent reminder of the eternal fate of those unfortunate enough to be branded with it. We are alive to serve the main branch, and for nothing else,” Neji clenched his fist in frustration.

“I… I never knew the lines between the Hyuga clan were so… harsh,” Sasuke said quietly. “I’m uh… sorry for making you tell me that, I didn’t mean to… remind you of it, so I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, I know you didn’t.”

“My family was pretty fucked up too you know,” Sasuke commented.

“Really?” Neji asked curiously. He wasn’t normally interested in other people’s business, but something about the Uchiha sparked his interest.

“Yeah. I mean, my father chastised me because I wasn’t like my brother and became an alcoholic asshole, my mother was so scared to stand up to him she turned a blind eye, my brother slaughtered my entire family, and for some reason, I still loved my parents, and I’m the only one who can avenge all the family members I lost that day,” Sasuke said, almost as if it happened to someone else. But Neji could see the fierce determination in his eyes when he talked about avenging his family.

“If I could ask my own insensitive question, why do you want to avenge your parents if they did wrong by you?” Neji couldn’t help but wonder.

“They weren’t that bad. My mom was scared, but she still comforted us. She was our nurturer, our caretaker, and even though she tried to appease my father, she loved us. My father wasn’t the greatest man, but he protected our clan and our reputation. And I had aunts and uncles and cousins I lost that day too,” Sasuke explained somberly.

“I… understand. And your brother?” Neji asked, slightly reluctantly.

“What about him?” Sasuke’s eyes darkened.

“How do you feel about him now?”

“...It’s complicated honestly. I hate him so much… but at times, I can’t help but remember how he took care of me, how he protected me from my father, and how he was my role model,” Sasuke admitted. He had no idea why he felt comfortable sharing something he’d never told a soul with Neji, but when he met the other’s eye and saw no judgement, only understanding written across Neji’s face, he relaxed.

“I get it… you still love him, don’t you? You’re confused… you don’t understand how he could do what he did, but you don’t hate him. You’re just angry… and hurt, and you feel alone now and you need answers from him,” Neji’s voice began to falter. Sasuke’s eyes grew wider with each word, stunned at how Neji could read him like an open book. He’d always considered himself hard to figure out, and people usually couldn’t see what he was really thinking.

“How do know… exactly how I feel?”

“Because we’re the same. You and I have the same eyes. I understand you Sasuke,” Neji said quietly.

“I understand you too Neji. I never thought someone else could get it, but you do,” Sasuke responded, turning to face the other as his counterpart did the same, the two’s burning eyes meeting in mutual respect and understanding.

“Well, I’m sure you’re tired, so we can go upstairs to the bedrooms and I’ll show you where you can sleep,” Neji said, the conversation becoming too intimate to be comfortable.

“It’s fine, I can sleep on the couch.”

“Stop, there’s a perfectly good bed upstairs, you don’t have to do that polite shit with me,” Neji dismissed, earning a laugh from Sasuke.

“You’re one of a kind, you know that Hyuga?”

“You’re one to talk Uchiha.”


	2. Passionfruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji and Sasuke explore the depths of their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend listening to Passionfruit by Drake while reading this chapter.
> 
> Italics with slash marks are song lyrics. Alone, they're thoughts.

_ Listen, _

 

_ Seeing you got ritualistic _

  
  


//

 

Meeting at the training grounds after everyone else was tucked away in their homes became ritualistic for them. Afterwards, they would go to one of their houses and talk the nights away, and Neji hadn’t spent a night in the main branch house in what seemed like forever. When one of them had to leave for a few days on a mission, the other felt the unmistakable pang of loneliness clang in their chest. They began to become dependant on each other’s company, and times apart became difficult for them.

 

“You should really just move in,” Sasuke said one day while Neji was cooking in the kitchen of the Uchiha house. Neji laughed in response.

 

“You know I can’t do that. What the hell am I supposed to tell my uncle?” Neji rebuffed playfully.

 

“It’s strictly for training purposes.”

 

Neji gave him an incredulous look, but couldn’t help smiling at how familiar Sasuke was with his only excuse to his uncle.

 

“It would probably work,” Sasuke mumbled.

 

“And you’re right, it probably would, but that’s not the only person that we would have to explain it to, and not everyone is as uncaring as my uncle,” Neji said, unconsciously waving around a rice paddle. 

 

“What, are you ashamed of me or something?” Sasuke asked playfully, rising from the couch and standing beside Neji, placing his head on Neji’s shoulder to peer over at the sushi roll he was currently making. 

 

“I’m absolutely ashamed of you,” Neji replied, turning his head slightly to look into Sasuke’s eyes, just in time to see them roll.

 

“Give me a break, what the hell would you do without me?” 

 

“I’d be elated to have your annoying ass out of my life,” Neji retorted. “Now, if you would kindly remove your head from my shoulder so I can finish this sushi, it’d be appreciated.” 

 

Sasuke did as he was told, and Neji rolled up the sushi and began to cut them. Sasuke watched for a minute in silence before he felt an overwhelming feeling in his chest.

 

“You aren't… I can’t believe I’m asking you this but… you aren’t actually ashamed of me, right?” Sasuke asked with a clear vulnerability shining through his eyes. Neji paused his cutting, shocked that Sasuke was actually affected by his comments. He turned to face Sasuke.

 

“Of course not. You’re my closest friend, and I actually don’t know what I would do without you.”

 

Sasuke sighed in relief.

 

“Good, because you know I’d have to cut you off if this was a one-sided friendship,” Sasuke replied, back to his more usual self.

 

“You couldn’t cut me off even if you wanted to,” Neji said, but he gave Sasuke a warm smile before he turned back to the sushi roll to finish cutting it.

 

“No, I couldn’t,” Sasuke chuckled.

 

“Well, now that that’s settled, the sushi’s done.”

 

“Finally, I didn’t know putting a shitload of raw ingredients in a piece of seaweed covered in rice could take so long.”

 

“Good sushi is not made in ten minutes; get over it and eat.”

 

//

 

_ You got issues that I won’t mention for now _

 

_ // _

 

As the two ate, Neji’s mind wandered to Sasuke’s earlier instance of insecurity. Sasuke had always seemed so confident, so when he needed confirmation that Neji felt the same way about him and their friendship, it shocked him. 

 

_ Maybe he really isn’t as confident as he portrays himself to be. _

 

_ But do I say something? I don’t want to upset him, but I don’t want him to be insecure. _

 

“Something wrong Neji?

 

“Hm?” Neji was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts.

 

“You were overthinking.”

 

“Maybe I was,” he murmured.

 

“What’s on your mind?” Sasuke asked, putting his plate down and turning towards Neji.

 

“Nothing, it’s stupid,” Neji stared down at his plate.

 

“It’s obviously not if it’s bothering you.”

 

Neji sighed heavily.

 

“I’ll tell you sometime, but not right now. Right now, I want nothing more than to just relax and talk about things that don’t matter.”

 

“But-”

 

“Please.”

 

“If that’s what you want.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

//

 

_ Passionate from miles away _

_ Passive with the things you say _

_ Passin' up on my old ways _

_ I can't blame you, no _

 

_ // _

 

Somehow, Neji found himself in Sasuke’s bed, closer to him than he’d ever been to anyone. He’d never shared a bed with anyone before, and he never thought he would unless he had to on a mission, but he was doing it willingly. 

 

And he’d never felt more comfortable.

 

He could feel the warmth radiating off of Sasuke’s body, and he wanted nothing more than to shroud himself in Sasuke’s warmth to melt a little, just a little, of his coldness.

 

But there was still something bothering him.

 

// 

 

_ I think we should rule out commitment for now _

 

_ // _

 

“So… what exactly would you refer to me as?”

 

Sasuke lifted up off the bed into a sitting position.

 

“My closest friend, I guess.”

 

“You guess?” Neji sat up as well, crossing his legs.

 

“Well we’re friends, aren’t we? It just… feels like more…” Sasuke whispered.

 

“That’s… what I thought…” 

 

“But… I think… we should just be friends… for now,” Sasuke said quietly.

 

Despite his best efforts, Neji’s heart dropped.

 

“Yeah… I agree.”

 

He didn’t. But he’d rather die than admit it out loud.

 

“Okay… so does sleep sound good?” Sasuke said tentatively.

 

“Yeah, definitely.”

 

The two curled up underneath the covers once again, but as Sasuke fell asleep, Neji found himself unable to. His feelings towards Sasuke were confusing. He’s never felt emotions of the sort in his life, but he knew that he and Sasuke, despite all their similarities, were opposites at heart.

 

Sasuke was a blazing fireball and Neji was a chilling blizzard.

 

And he didn’t deserve Sasuke’s warmth.


End file.
